ONE is the son of a leading military figure of the old Soviet Union, the other the son of a poor Samoan welder from a disadvantaged community.

One is a product of the elite Soviet sports system, an Olympic gold medallist whose fiancee is a Hollywood star. The other learned to fight against gangs in Logan and drives a delivery van for a living.

One’s sporting career has generated more than $100 million while the other has struggled to keep his old Holden on the road and didn’t even receive prizemoney for a fight in Brisbane last year, just tickets to sell in lieu when he was a support act to Sonny Bill Williams.

Dr Wladimir Klitschko, 37, born Volodymyr Volodymyrovych Klychko at a Soviet air force base in Kazakhstan, is a graduate of Kiev University where he was awarded a PhD in Sports Science. Klitschko’s brother Vitali is also a former world champion and could very well be the next President of strife-torn Ukraine.

The only degree Alex Leapai, 34, has earned came from the school of hard knocks with post-graduate studies in maximum security at the Woodford Correctional Centre north of Brisbane. He spent six months there for beating up nightclub bouncers when his life was blighted by drugs and alcohol.

The two fighters are a fascinating contrast as they head into their world heavyweight title fight in Oberhausen, Germany on April 27 (Australian time).

Wladimir Klitschko (right), celebrates with his brother Vitali, a former world champion.Source: AP

Klitschko, the towering, imperious giant of world boxing, is a 198cm colossus who has dominated the sport for most of the last 14 years.

Leapai, 183cm, is compact, wide like a tank, and fighting to make his wife, parents and six kids proud of him as an inspiration to battlers around the world.

Two or three times a week Leapai will drive a round trip of 200km from his home in Slacks Creek to Gatton to train in the shed of his trainer Noel Thornberry. He says he is prepared for a life and death struggle to become the first ever Australian world heavyweight champion 106 years after the failed shot of the last challenger, Bill Squires of Narrabri.

Leapai’s whole focus is getting under the guard of the monster standing between him and what many still regard as the greatest single prize in sport, the heavyweight championship of the world.

Klitschko, who divides his time between homes in Germany and the United States, is interspersing training for Leapai with regular updates from his brother on the life and death political landscape in Ukraine, the country where both were raised.

Vitali, 42, effectively retired from boxing last year to chase the toughest opponent of his life, Ukraine’s tyrannical leader Viktor Yanukovych, who has now fled the country for the protection of his allies in Russia.

As the leader of Ukraine’s opposition, Vitali is a heavy favourite to become President of his country in the national election in May.

Two months ago Wladimir and fiancee Hayden Panettiere, star of the US TV show Nashville, lent their support to Vitali’s protest rallies in the heart of Kiev.

The tiny TV star stood up to her full height of 153cm to address a crowd at the city’s square as Wladimir translated.

``There is a movement happening here and we have a chance to make things right, to make things just,’’she said. ``You have a right to a democracy. Your struggles and your fight are not falling on deaf ears. You are being heard. The world will hear you.”

This week Wladimir said he has shocked by the bloody events in his homeland.

``My own people are killing each other,’’ he said in a break from training for the Leapai fight. ``It’s brothers killing brothers … we’re talking about 100 people in different ways killed, either by torturing or snipers.’’

Klitschko said Vitali, who was recently shot in the face at close range with a fire extinguisher when yet another protest turned ugly, remained unafraid.

Wladimir won the Olympic super-heavyweight gold medal in 1996 and four years later won his first world professional title by outpointing slick American Chris Byrd in Cologne.

His tremendous power resulted in five knockouts in his first five title defences before South African southpaw Corrie Sanders stunned him with a second knockout in Hannover in 2003.

Klitschko tried to regain the title a year later in Las Vegas but was bombed out in five rounds by chunky American Lamon Brewster.

Wladimir Klitschko with his wife Hayden Panettiere.Source: Supplied

That fight convinces Leapai he can repeat the dose even though Klitschko has been unbeaten in 19 fights since over 10 years.

Klitschko says he has enormous respect for Leapai, especially in the way he dominated the previously unbeaten Russian Denis Boytsov in his last fight.

``He has shown strong punching power and a lot of heart,’’ Klitschko said. ``Leapai is experienced and very strong but I will be prepared 100 per cent like I am for all of my fights.’’

Leapai came face to face with the giant of world boxing two weeks ago at a press conference inside the venue — the Koenig-Pilsener Arena in Oberhausen — and even though the Aussie battler was dwarfed physically, he was on the biggest high of his life.

``I promise you I’ll knock this bloke out,’’ Leapai said. ``He’s big but no bigger than a lot of guys I’ve fought. He’s been knocked out by guys who can’t punch as hard as me and he’s in for a huge shock.

``I’ve been waiting my whole life for this one chance.’’

Wladimir Klitschko, and Alex Leapai stare down after a press conference ahead of their IBF, IBO, WBO and WBA heavyweight title bout on April 26 in Germany. Picture: APSource: AP

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